THE RAY SPIDER AND HER SNARE. 203 
an insect strikes the snare, as at Fig. 196, ray I (broken ray), Theridio- 
soma first “keys” the snare by twisting together the foot basket and the 
parts adjoining (C), including the end of the trapline. This 
aes maintains the compact condition of the snare after the spider has 
yet a left the central point at which she has held all parts together in 
Web. the manner heretofore described. Then the insect is sought. 
Creeping along the axis of the ray upon which the prey is en- 
tangled, she cuts away the cross lines as she goes, leaving the bare skele- 
ton of radii, as shown, Fig. 196, I, marked “broken ray.” The insect is 
then brought back to a point (D) near the centre, but (in this case at 
least) above it, where it is eaten. While the feast goes on, not unmindful 
of future supplies, the spider (S) clasps the adjoining axis and (C D) the 
connecting lines, which appear to be in condition for operating somewhat 
in the usual way. When the insect is eaten, the for- 
mer position is resumed, the trapline clasped, and 
the net bowed and tight ened. 
After a morning’s trap ping, if the game has 
been plenty, and general ly towards the middle of 
the afternoon, the snare will be found reduced to 
one or two rays or frag ments of rays. I have 
seen it reduced to a bare skeleton. In Fig. 197, 
one ray (I), and two frag ments of two others, are 
united into a new ray, and these are placed in 
opposite parts of the orb, Frc. 198. Rayspider. Halfof Again, one-half of the 
ee orb eliminated and a new : : 
orb may be eliminated — trapiine, Tb, formed. Ta, (Fig. 198), leaving two ra- 
dii (i, ii) to operate with, position of old trapline; i, The Ray spider was also 
observed to construct or adopt a new trapline, thus 
changing, so to speak, her base of operations. This action is illustrated 
at Fig. 198, where Ta is the original, and Tb the new trapline. This is 
not a frequent occurrence, as the necessity for changing the original line 
does not appear to arise very often. 
III. 
Not the least interesting and valuable feature of the Ray spider’s indus- 
try is that it constitutes a connecting link between two forms of snare 
Affinities which stand at the very opposite poles of the spinningwork of 
‘the Orbweavers. At the one extreme is the familiar circular 
snare or full orb of the ordinary garden spider. At the other is the orb 
sector of the Triangle spider. A glance at these will show how far they 
are apart in structure. The same separation appears in the habits of the 
two araneads. As opposed to Hyptiotes, the spiders of which Epeira is a 
type hang head downward in the centre of the orb, with their feet grasp- 
ing small groups of the radii; or sit in a silken den, or crevice, holding 
